Little Birds
by BringerOfJoy
Summary: In consequence of a homicide case indirectly involving children, Kate Beckett who had befriended one of the six children, at a park near the 12th precinct, discovers maternal feelings and longings she never thought she would. Set post season 5, Castle & Beckett relationship already established.
1. Prologue

She watched from a far, as a little girl, with big dark green eyes and golden-brown hair that framed her baby face, played on the grass, following a line of ants with her eyes.

"Eleanor, those ants will bite you!" She heard a woman, mid-forties scold, from the spot she was sitting a couple of feets away. "Eleanor, when they bite it stings!" The child didn't listen, she kept on watching the oblivious insects curiously, as her little hands grasped at the daisy flower, not knowing if she kept on concentrated on ants or if she wanted to pick a flower for her new grown-up friend. "Eleanor, it's the last time I warn you!" The woman shouted, earning glances from the few parents and nannies around her. She got up,dusted her khaki shorts and marched towards the toddler, who eyed her in a sort of, trying way, for her age. Eleanor was the greatest of her problems, why couldn't she be quiet and obedient like the other five kids, Grant, Elisabeth, Cassidy, Nathan and Henry? Why had she given everything up to follow her partner on this shitty business anyway? Kidnapping prostitutes's and junkies's children and selling them to people, rich, fancy people who wanted kids, the easy way?

The problem was, their business had worked for thirteen years now, but the last two 'batches' of kids were a hell. With people becoming more and more open to fertility treatments and surrogates, why would they keep on adopting children, much less, ilegally? As a result, these six tykes weren't 'sold', and now were worth half or even less the price they would've been as newborns or even one-year-olds.

"Grant, 'Lisbeth, come here, it's time to leave!" The woman called with a huff, pulling Eleanor forcefully from the ground and attaching her to her hip, as she gathered the rest of the flock. Man, these kids were really the animals… "Cassidy, Nathan, Henry, let's go, come on!" She shouted, her voice authorative and not the least bit patient. The children all gathered around her, some putting their worn shoes back on and others dusting off their clothes.

They were kind of cute, she had to admit, all of them between the ages four and two, Beth being the youngest followed by Grant and Eleanor who were three. Cassidy was four as was Henry and Nathan a month away from being so.

"Aubrey, is it okay if we stop by at the library?" Cassidy inquired, as she blew a small leaf from her sleave, straight, thick and long blonde hair tied in an already messy ponytail, her bangs needing a good trim. Her voice was low, raspy, shy… she had the voice of a subordinate, unspoiles, violently subdued child. She did not have the voice, the lively voice a child her age, any child would. She was an item to be sold, not a person, the same for the rest.

It wasn't frequent that Aubrey felt pity for them, one, because she wasn't supposed to, two, because she didn't want to, and three, because most of all she shouldn't get attached, and neither should they. However, looking into the little girl's sad brown eyes, lifeless eyes, she saw a shadow of hope that represented a small moment of joy, of comfort. Looking around her, towards the faces of the rest of the children, she saw the same, and so it was decided she'd take them to the library to pick out two books, under her name, as they weren't registered, didn't even have birth certificates.


	2. Miss Flower

**First of all, I would like to thank everyone that has stopped to read the first chapter of this, that is actually an epilogue, I'm new to this site so I'm still a bit stiff…**

**Well, since I forgot to write in a disclaimer for it, here it goes: I do not own "Castle" or anything to do with it, that was all Marlowe's idea. However, this plot is mine as well as te o/c characters. Just to clear things out, I'm earning nothing but self-satisfaction with this.**

_CHAPTER ONE: "Miss Flower"_

April 10th 2013, Random Park near the 12th precinct

_Kate Beckett sat on a wooden bench, her coffee in hand waiting for her boyfriend to make an appearance. It was about nine or ten and she felt like getting some actual fresh air for once, after the closing of a big, not to say stressful case._

_ Her golden-brown waves of hair flew about her face with the still chilly spring breeze, as she stared past kids running, it was a Saturday, to a patch of big white daisies, busy bees flying about to collect and spread out there nectar. For a moment she was reminded of a similar scene, about twenty-five years ago, when her mother, having picked her up early from school—Kate had faked a bad stomach and headache, very well—and walked with her home, short-cutting through the park, where the two Beckett women sat under a shady tree and Johanna made her daughter a flower crown of daisies, saying she was her little flower fairy, her little, mischevious, stubborne, troublemaker of a fairy. She also recalled her mother caressing her hair, it had been chanel-style, except her hair then had been of a dark-blonde, perhaps honey-colores, and were extremely curly. It seemed funny how much it had changed until it got to these dark wavy locks of chestnut with light brown highlights that accentuated her big green eyes. Chameleon eyes. Sometimes, brown, sometimes dark green, sometimes bright green and sometimes just plain hazel. Her mom used to say she'd know what season of the year it was on pictures and such, just by looking into her Katie's eyes. They changed with the seasons, like the leaves, and though it had annoyed her as a youngster, Kate had learned to embrace it, her eyes made her special, maybe just not the eyes, but they reminded her how special she was, how special her parents thought she was._

_ Today, Kate had looked at herself in the mirror, doing her morning routine and they were dark green, like fresh, spring leaves._

_ The detective was pulled away from her reverie as she heard a cry coming from somewhere near her. She looked around and saw a little girl, clad in jean-dress overalls and a yellow t-shirt, crying near the flower patch, clutching her forearm. Kate didn't see any parents or a nanny running for the child's aid and decided she'd do it herself, if she were to be lost it was Kate's job as a cop to help her and return her to her parents. _

_ Kate knelt down next to the child quietly, as to not startle her, careful that she was at her sight._

_ "Hey, there sweetie, what's the matter?" She asked, feeling electric waves shoot through her body as the little girl looked deep in her eyes, misty green-blues on emerald ones. The little girl showed Kate her arm, that was red and swollen at the curve._

_ "Bee, I wanted a flower… I don't know what it's called…" The little girl spoke softly, her low voice slow and trembling, clearly holding herself not to cry. Kate nodded and examined her arm to see if the bee's horn had stuck to her skin, Kate pulled it out not even earning a flinch from the adorable little child. "It hurts…" She whispered, downcast eyes looking up into Kate's, who became breathless. Wow, this kid was magical, had pulled her into her charms so easily, so effortlessy. _

_ "Well, it wont hurt for long, I promise." Kate wordlessly asked permission to access her arm, and placed a butterfly kiss where the bee had stung her. "There, there, it'll be all better now, okay?" The little girl nodded with a small smile._

_ "You're pretty, like a flower…" She stated smiply, and Kate was completely thrown a back with such a simple, but beautiful and meaningful comment, for one she had her eyes all misty by now… Dear God, where were all these mushy, gooey feelings coming from? Surely it wasn't her period aproximating._

_ "Well you're just as much, maybe more." She answered with a warm, friendly smile. "What's your name little flower, and your age?"_

_ "I'm Eleanor, I'm three."_

_ "Eleanor, that's a beautiful name, suits you. Where's your parents?" Kate questioned looking around until she followed Eleanor's gaze towards a woman closer to the playground, blabbering over the phone._

_ "She takes care of me." Eleanor said getting up. "By miss flower!" She said, running off with a wave and a cute, toothy grin._

_ Kate got up, watching as the little girl, a truly inspiring little girl ran off to her mother or something, she couldn't wait to tell Castle of this new adventure. She was pretty like a flower, now._

_ "Kate!" She heard him call with a wave and a smile and she walked up towards her boyfriend of nearly a year, her arms wrapping around his neck, kissing him good morning as they hadn't seen each other since yesterday before lunch, he had gone on father-daughter day with Alexis._

_ "Hey, you… What took you so long?" She inquired, cheerfully._

_ "Well, for starters, I took long getting ready for my ridiculously sexy, cop girlfriend, ready for work?" He asked, kissing Kate passionately before she could say a word._

**Thank you for reading! Please review!**


	3. Ellie

**_Thank you, everyone for reading and thanks to those who took time to review, you've made my day. This chapter is dedicated to you._**

**_Disclaimer: I do not own Castle, but I do own Eleanor, Elisabeth, Grant, Nathan, Henry and Cassidy, as well as their 'nanny', Aubrey._**

CHAPTER TWO: "Daisies"

April 12th 2013, Random park near the 12th precinct.

"Hiya!" Kate was startled by an enthusiastic hello, as Eleanor appeared in front of her with a huge smile. "Hi, Miss Flower, you look very pretty today!" she complimented, climbing up the bench and sitting next to the detective.

"Hello, Eleanor, thank you… I'm glad to see you're no longer hurt…" Kate told her with a smile. "Doesn't your mother worry about you running off like this?" Kate questioned, removing a small leaf from Eleanor's golden hair.

"Nuh-uh, she's not my mommy, I don't have one. She just takes care of me sometimes. Why are you always alone?" She asked quietly, swinging her head, but her curious turcquoise eyes were on Kate's.

"Well, I'm waiting for my boyfriend, he was here just now but went to Starbucks to get us some coffee. Have you had breakfast?" Eleanor nodded.

"Oat meal and juice." She made a face of pure horror, "I like juice but I hate oat meal, can't choose though." Kate nodded, a little worried about how Eleanor discribed her care-taker and how from the sound of her voice, it seemed like she was extremely unhappy.

"I like juice, too. Do you come here to the park everyday?" Kate asked, wrapping her arm around Eleanor's shoulder and caressing her right arm, where the bee had stung her two days ago.

"No, almost never, I think she's been bringing us because her boss is mad, he's the boss of everyone and he's not very nice. Aubrey's okay though, she isn't mean but she doesn't love us either. Sometimes she brings us books from the library, other times she lets us watch a movie." Kate couldn't help but think how sucky Eleanor's home life sounded. So a three year-old rarely came to the park, only sometimes got read to and in seldom, very seldom occasions she got to watch a film? What kind of home did she live in, a work camp? Kate looked down at the little girl who rested her head under her right breast, sighing comfortably, watching silently as the few other kids played and ran around driving their parents crazy.

"Miss Flower, what are those white flowers called, they're my favorites… the ones I was trying to get when the bee hurt me?"

"Oh, those are daisies sweetie, did you know that they were actually called 'the day's eyes'? With time people abreviated it to daisy. You know what, they're my favorites too." Eleanor looked up into Kate's dark green eyes lovingly. She kissed Kate's arm shyly and grinned like a mad person, her eyes sparkling.

"I love you Miss Flower…" Eleanor whispered, burying her head into Kate's side. Kate chuckled.

"I'm beginning to love you too, Ellie." Kate said endearingly, "How could I not love such a sweet, adorable little rascal?" She tickled Eleanor's side earning loud giggles and squirms.

"You called me Ellie…" Kate nodded. "I like it, Miss Daisy."

"Oh, so now I'm Miss Daisy?" Kate teased with a smile. It was Eleanor's turn to nod.

"Now that I know what they're called…" Eleanor trailed off. "Do you work?" The little girl asked, playing with the hem of Kate's cardigan sweater.

"Yes, I do. I'm a cop, a detective actually, I put all the bad guys in jail. What about you, do you go to school?" Eleanor shook her head.

"I'm three, Aubrey said I'm too young to go to school, but Henry and Cassidy are four and they don't go either. I think the boss doesn't want us to go. I'd like to, staying at home's not good. Too much quiet." Kate nodded, memorizing each of the little girl's words. She would try and look into Eleanor's living situation…

"Eleanor, what's your full name?" She asked, twirling the curls on the edge of the child's hair.

"Eleanor, just Eleanor, no last name. I don't got a family, that's why. Aubrey said when I do, I'll have a full name. Right now, it's just Eleanor and Ellie for you, Miss Daisy, just for you." Kate wanted to cry right now, but pulled herself together. Poor little kid, she wanted so much to hug all her demons away, be able to protect her from the world, not force her into eating oat meal, that she hated.

Kate didn't where all these thoughts were coming from, but one thing she knew was that she would do all in her willpower to find out what Eleanor's living conditions were and help her and the other kids she mentioned that lived with her. She knew what it was like to not have a mother, someone to protect her, and her father having spent the last few years a drunkman, had almost been the same as being family-less. She knew how lonely it was, she knew how miserable it was and she did not want that for this sweet little girl. Eleanor did not deserve any of this, she was beautiful, inside and out and God forbid that Kate Beckett wouldn't do a thing to remedy this whole situation.

"Miss Daisy?" Kate looked down at her, green eyes with a different kind of fire in them, a new kind of good energy, and lots and lots of love.

"Yes, Ellie?" Eleanor smiled at the sound of her new nickname again and hugged Kate by the waist.

"I gotta go now, but I love you okay? You wont forget me?" Kate shook her head, looking into Eleanor's gorgeous eyes.

"I promise I wont, Ellie. See you later!" She cried as the girl ran off, blowing her an imaginary kiss that Kate pretended to catch and place at her heart. God she needed a drink, all these lovey-dovey feelings were making her hot inside.

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	4. Windows & Desires

**Disclaimer: I do not own Castle or Beckett, that credit goes to Marlowe and CBS. I do own Eleanor, though, and this plot.**

**Thank you, all of you who have reviewed! Please continue to do so!**

**_Chapter 3: Windows & Desires_**

April 10th 2013, Kate's apartment

She lay quietly in bed, her head resting on Rick's shoulder, her left arm wrapped around his waist, her hands toying with the him of his pyjama pants.

"Kate…" He whispered, drawing circles on her bare shoulder. Kate sighed, content. "Babe, what was it you saw at the park today, that you wanted to tell me?" He asked softly. Kate turned her head so that her eyes locked with his. How she loved his eyes, how she loved seeing all the love he felt for her in them. She loved his blue eyes just as much as she loved his heart, his soul, just as she loved Rick Castle.

"I met someone today…" She said slowly, kissing his neck, reassuring him that it wasn't another man. There could never be. "A little girl named Eleanor." Rick nodded for her to continue. "She's three years-old Rick, and when I looked into her eyes, they were the prettiest turcquoise, I saw a little girl who had seen so much, lived so much, suffered so, so much…" By now Kate had tears cascading from her eyes, and Castle didn't move to wipe them, she needed to pour her thoughts and frustrations out. She needed to cleanse. "I don't know, I just saw so much of myself in them, in her. A bee had stung her little arm, no one was there for her, not a nanny nor parents, and she was crying, so I went to her. I kissed her pain away, at least the physical and I felt like she washed mine away too. She's so, so special…" Castle pulled her closer to him, if possible, comforting her with the warmth, the love he radiated.

"You love her already, then?" Kate nodded, the tears subdued. "She said I was pretty like a flower, the daisies she was trying to pick before it happened. It was so simple what she said, but so intense, I felt like she was saying much more than that I was pretty, I felt like it was a plea, she had pleading eyes. She was asking me to help her, but most of all to love her. And now I do, and I don't even know her, or where she lives, or who she lives with. All I know is that I feel like I'm going to burst, with this ache in my chest, like she needs to be here, with _me_, with _us_…" Rick stared at her, surprised, maybe even shocked. Had Kate Beckett just admitted to be in love with a child, maternally so? Did she want for them to have a kid?

Somehow, no matter how much he craved to be a father again, to a baby of theirs, he thought he'd never hear such things coming from her lips. Sure, she loved children, everybody knew that, but having your own, being a parent is so different, so much more complex. Kate wanted that complexity, and this desire of hers was awaken by this little girl, this Eleanor.

Finally Rick realized it wasn't just any child his girlfriend, his love wanted, it was that child, that child from the park. Eleanor.

He nudged Kate, kissed her on the forehead, not knowing if he should smile and be greatful or if he should perhaps cry, be angry, be selfish. He loved her with all he had, was he really ready to share her, or better yet, was he willing to share her with a child that wasn't even theirs?

Kate was asleep, her face not very peaceful, her forehead creased, and Castle had no choice but to sleep on this new realization, until Kate was willing to talk about it once again.

….

April 11th 2013, Unknown building five blocks from the 12th precinct, 3rd floor

The room the six children usually slept in was of a bright white. The Bedroom was spartan, with six single-sized mattresses lined up against a wall, and a wardrobe and dresser at the end of the room. The two large windows were barred and there was no way they could be open. The room was stuffy because of it, but they couldn't afford accidents, not when this whole business was risky the way it was.

In the apartment there was a master suite, not very large however, but better decorated, a living room with a dining table for eight and a small kitchen to the side.

To an outsider, there was no way this could be a child's environment, much less that of six toddlers. Everything was white and spotless, the furniture was minimalist and the walls were all bare. No toys, no books, no drawings of children stuck on the refrigerator, nor were there any pictures.

Aubrey entered the apartment way past the children's bedtime, knowing she'd find them all laying asleep on their cots, all except the exception. Eleanor sat on a chair next to the window, concentrated on the view of the street, people still out on the streets, some shops, bars and clubs still open, cars flashing by, the lights all flicking upon the little girl's serious face.

"Eleanor, it's past bedtime." Aubrey said sternly as she took off her coat and hung it in the closet beside the front door.

"I'm not tired." The child answered, still not ripping her eyes away from the street. Her voice was serious, unfaltering. Aubrey knew there was nothing she could do to make the child sleep, thus was her stubborness, and if she tried to punish her with a pinch or with spanking, there was no way, not this week, as they would receive people to come and inspect the children, as if they were an item of furniture or clothing, for them to buy and do God knows what.

"Well Eleanor, if boss comes in tomorrow with you sleepy you know what happens, no breakfast and no lunch. Got it?" The little girl nodded, understanding, shifting her gaze to Aubrey's stern face.

"I like flowers, I love flowers. Yesterday at the park I saw a new flower, Aubrey, and she's my favorite. I wish I could have her. She was white and green and gold-brown. She was my flower and I wanna see her again." Aubrey's jaw fell, she had never, since this child was brougt into her care heard her speak so much, with so much intensity and despair. Her turcquoise eyes had on Aubrey's lifeless gray ones.

"A flower. Good, that's nice. Now go to bed Eleanor." The woman said, pretending to be angry, about to hit Eleanor, and the little girl just looked at her as if to say, 'all that you're doing me today will be paid back double the price'. Eleanor hopped off the chair, the cast-off pyjamas that had first been Cassidy's still large on her, heading for her cot, and dreams of flower and smiles.

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	5. New Prospects

**Disclaimer: I do not own Castle.**

_**Writer's note: Everyone, I'm truly sorry for not updating in so long, I've been extremely busy lately with more than a handful of mid-term tests and school projects to finish. Also, I traveled in the middle of last week and there was no internet where I went.**_

_**Thank you for all your kind reviews and for those who did not leave a comment, please do! We write more and better when we have motivation!**_

**Chapter Four: New Prospects**

Eleanor cried for days as she and the other kids were prohibited of going to the park or any place else. She longed to see and be with her Daisy again, and to be true, she longed to go with her and never come back. Nevertheless, as much as she wanted to be with her Flower, she was divided by the loyalty of the other kids, who suffered and deserved to be free just as she.

Nathan had cried yesterday. Boss had hit him hard with the belt, for not wanting to get in the van to meet whoever was supposed to give him their name. Nathan didn't trust boss, didn't trust Aubrey, didn't even trust Lenny* (Leonard Jayden), the driver who sometimes turned on the radio and let them listen to smooth jazz instrumentals or classical music. Eleanor was enchanted by the piano.

She also didn't trust any of them when they said that it would be good for Nathan, that he would have a real home, a last name. Boss was untrustworthy, lacked humanity and had dark, empty eyes that scared Eleanor to death, or near death. Henry and Cassidy had been hit too, because they tried to defend Nathan. Eleanor, Elisabeth and Grant were also severely punished without dinner nor breakfast. The third floor, sanitorium-like apartment had never been so cold, so tense, so full of hate and desperation. Eleanor was scared boss would get even more mad when he found out that Nathan broke a lamp while enraged. She was truly scared they'd take him away, forever, and Nathan was her brother, everyone here was each other's family, even though they didn't quite know what it was like to have one. They'd never been or seen one before, only by far and superficially. Eleanor quietly longed for a nice family to feed her and her brothers and sisters, as she inhaled the scent of simmering, thick, brown gravy with mashed potatoes and roast beef. They never got to eat that stuff, only smell. In exchange, Aubrey made them soup everyday. Soup for lunch, soup for dinner and oatmeal for breakfast. Eleanor hated soup and hated oatmeal, very, very much.

….

It'd been two weeks since Kate Beckett last saw Eleanor. She'd been going to the park on every break-time she got, even Rick would go with her, both ready and discretely equipped to track down whoever looked after Eleanor and the other group of kis, or at least follow them home in order to keep a special eye on the children's welfare.

"Kate, maybe they weren't even from New York, babe, it was spring break after all!" Castle tried to reason with her once they arrived at her apartment, Kate falling exhaustedly into a chair, slipping her shoes off. He massaged her neck and shoulders, placing sweet kisses down her spine, making Kate all tingly and warm.

"I'm glad I have you Castle, really…" Kate had tears in her eyes as Castle turned to face her, his hands moving to lay on her lap. "Thank you for everything, for supporting me, for loving me, for being you…" He shook his head and placed chaste kissed to the back of each of Kate's hands. "Maybe this whole ordeal with Eleanor has kept my attentions away from you a bit, God who am I kidding! I've been a terrible, neglectant girlfriend. I'm sorry…"

"Love, you're only human, and I don't think you've been neglecting me. I have a daughter Kate, I know what it's like to love someone like you already love Eleanor. I just don't want you to get your heart broken if Eleanor is found and with a good family or if—God forbid, you never find her." Kate nodded.

"I just keep hearing my mother's voice over and over in my conscience, telling me, no, pleading with me to help Ellie, because she's in trouble and she needs me… It wasn't just my mom telling me, Rick, I've been telling myself that for a while. I felt it somehow when Eleanor and I first met, I still feel it and my female instincts certify me that Eleanor needs her mother, she needs me!" Castle just stared at her.

This had been the first time Kate openly admitted maternal feelings towards Eleanor, a fact that Castle had already detected and somehow feared. He loved Kate, obviously wanted to be with her, wanted her to love him, wanted her to be happy with him, wanted her to have his babies (in plural).

Never once did he want to see Kate heart broken again, like she was when she failed in catching and punishing her mother's killer and only putting herself in danger. That had been his fault. In sum, he didn't want to encourage her on this procure for Eleanor, a child he believed was beautiful, intelligent and special enough to make Katherine Beckett fall head-over-heals in love with her, which was already saying much.

"I love you" He said, burying his head in her womb and placing a kiss there. "And if you want a baby so badly, I' be glad to help you make one. Or two" He said as an afterthought and Kate just smiled, laughing like she hadnt done in a while.

"I'm sorry, sorry I laughed…" She said with cheeks flushed and her green eyes shining brightly. "I'd love to have a baby with you Castle, but first, I need to make sure Eleanor's okay. A baby we have will never make me forget her or replace the feelings I feel for her." Castle nodded understandingly. "But I do want to have a baby… so maybe we should start practicing?" She said her voice soft, resembling a child's.

…..

The next three days in the precinct were spent with lots of research on Kate and Castle's part as they began looking for babies the same age and colouring on the missing people system. They had found out that four children now between ages two and four were kidnapped from the Bellevue Maternity and Children Hospital. One child resembled Eleanor perfectly, the same cleft chin and big turcquoise eyes. The parents were Sally Germaine, a nurse and Kenneth Ewing a handsome, blue-eyed lawyer who broke-up a while after their baby's disappearance. The father had quit looking once the first year passed but Sally, had jumped into campaigns and signed-up into organizations and government lists in hopes of still finding her daughter who would now be three and a half, exactly Ellie's age. The other chidlren came from different backgrounds. The youngest little girl had been going for a medical check-up with the pediatrician when the mother was stunned on the back of her neck and the child quickly taken from her arms. The baby, Kimberly remained unfound and her mother who was single died three days after the baby was taken, she hadn't recovered from the strong concussion.

One of the two other children, a little boy of now (if he were still alive), three was robbed from the nursery, when the nurses were switching places. Less than three minutes was all it took for someone to evacuate the hospital with a three-day old baby. The mother had entered severe depression afterwards and two-years later committed suicide, the father was nowhere to be found.

The last child, also a girl, Emma Hollis had also gone for a check-up with her mother, the little girl was eight months old and was suffering with a cold. The parents also never stopped looking for her, despite having had another son two years later.

These weren't very unique stories from the department, but It was almost the same amount of children Eleanor had listed to Kate, that she lived with, and some of the ages matched. Two four-year olds, three three-year-olds and one two-year old.

Castle, who loved a good story, couldn't help but agree with Kate that this could have a connection to Eleanor, and it was also a pattern. They needed to find this child not only for the well-being of the children, but that of the remaining suffering parents and in stake of a very good story.

...

**Thank you for reading!**


	6. A Few Steps Closer

**Author's Note:**** I'm sorry everyone, for the long delay, major writer's block on behalf of this story. I hope you enjoy this chapter, God knows I re-wrote it over four times.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Castle.**

...

"Castle, Castle, wake up, we've got a case!" The author opened his eye to see his girlfriend, pretty as ever, hovering over him, shaking him gently.

"But why, we haven't even had morning sex, yet!" He whined but got up.

To appease him and even herself, actually, Kate followed him into the shower and they had twenty minutes of _fun_ before heading off to the crime scene.

…

**_Somewhere in New Jersey_**

_ "Lenny, would you mind handing this to my Daisy at the park? She stays on the bench in front of the daisy patch, close to the playground. She's got brown hair and they're a bit gold, pretty green eyes and she's really tall. Would you, pretty please?" The little child whispered in his ear discreetly, handing him a folded piece of paper, as the children were lined up to climb down the van._

_ "Eleanor, you know you and I could get in trouble…" He tried to reason, but the boss pulled her roughly out of the car and Leonard Jayden had no choice but to do as she asked._

_ But did this Daisy person really exist? Hell, from the way these kids lived, Eleanor could well have created an illusion, maybe an imaginary friend. He was reminded of Yuri, his childhood "angel"._

_ Imaginary or not, this child deserved some happiness, even if brief; and some closure, before she was taken away to God knows where and to God knows who. He'd discussed this with Jasmine, they needed to get into action quickly, or the kids would be shipped away, never to be found again._

_ The boss ordered him to take the van to revision and take the rest of the day off. They would no longer need his services._

_ Lord, he knew it was too good to be true that a driver would get such a good payment as he was, now he'd gotten himself tied-up in this child-trafficking mafia and would need a hell of a lawyer, when time came._

_ He took out his phone and pressed speed-dial one, Jasmine._

_ "Hey, honey, I'm free for the day. How about lunch at your diner and we discuss our case. Love you tons!" _

_ He left the message on her phone, she did mention she'd be at an important meeting with clients. What would be of him without his Jasmine-flower? God, Drew was right, he had fallen bad for Jazzy. It'd been three years into their relationship and they still acted like it was their first month of dating. Once this all was over and he got Blue Note Records to buy some of his latest compositions, he'd propose to Jazzy and he'd already chosen the ring._

_ He started up his car and drove towards the Brooklyn bridge, heading for New York._

…..

It had been over two hours since Beckett had left the crime scene, with an extremely meaningful find, at least to her. In the inside pocket of Leo Atlas's jacket was folded piece of paper that turned out to be of two flowers in the middle of a park. To be exact it was two daisies, one large and the other smaller. The tall daisy had green eyes and red lips whilst the smaller had blue eyes and a pink smile.

What had really ignited Kate's need to find her little girl however, was the very name written in red crayon at the top of the page _Eleanor_, and most importantly the _To: Miss Daisy Flower_ at the bottom which made Kate Beckett be certain it was meant for her.

She had her boys, Castle included, begin a mad goose chase to find out what could possibly link a failed jazzist and an orphaned toddler. Until Leo's girlfriend showed up at the 12th precinct at the end of the day—Jasmine Carlton.

….

"So you're saying that Leo found out the guys he was working with were actually in a child-trafficking organization?" Castle asked horrified. Jasmine took a sip of the water Kate had offered her, her eyes puffy and cheeks red from all the crying.

"Detective, Mr. Castle, Leonard was a wonderful man. Sure he made some poor decisions and made a lot of mistakes in his life but don't we all? When Leonard started telling me of the children, he was really worried about their safety and his too. He wanted to leave the job and forget about it, but I'm a social services agent, I come from a wealthy and extremely self-absorved, controlling family from North Carolina, I graduated in law school at Yale and look where I'm at? I just wanted to do something that would matter, to make a difference in someone's life, and I like to think I do a little bit of that everyday, with each child I work with…" She paused, her big brown eyes full of unshed tears.

"What made him stay?" Beckett asked softly, "Why didn't Mr. Jayden just leave the job once he found out?"

"I convinced him to stay. I told him he could keep an eye on the kids and write down all the names and people he encountered on the job, what happens, the places they make him go to, the people he's sent to meet with and of course, to keep track of the children. Names, ages, physical appearance, sometimes even personalities. He wrote it all and he gave it to me. I've been preparing a portfolio on my own for the past year with all his information. I've over one hundred names and thirty children, hundreds of addresses and dates. I was going to turn it all in once I got the name of the boss… Karl Humphry, mid-fifties, Brooklyn accent. It's what he wrote down. Leo saw this man only once and from far away, the name he heard from the grapevine."

"Do you think you could hand your case over to us?" Kate asked amazed at the couple's work.

"Yes, of course. To tell the truth I'm afraid of holding it with me for much longer, in case they find out. I'm almost positive that's why Leo was…" Jasmine shook her head of thick brown curls. "Anyway, it's in here." The thirty-something social-worker opened her handbag and pulled out an external hard-drive and handed it over to Castle.

"It's all in here?" Castle asked amazed and shocked at the same time. Jasmine nodded and stared into Kate's eyes.

"Detective, was there a drawing of daisies in his pocket?" Kate nodded. "I understand you're not supposed to disclose with me your evidence but that drawing is important, at least to the child who drew it. Eleanor is three years-old, going on four. She's extremely advanced for her age. Ha a near-perfect vocabulary and already knows how to write her name, the names of the other children, her address and simple words. She can read very well since she basically devours the books that Audrey picks out in the library for them, although quite seldom. Audrey is the children's care-taker, she doesn't do a lot of caring though and the children are practically ignored. You'll find out more of them in the files I gave you…"

Kate nodded, urging for Jasmine to go on.

"Eleanor is very special, very observing and she made friends with a woman at the park, not too far from here, Leo and I knew because they go there every week and he'd drive. She asked Leo to help her make contact with this Daisy person, I'm not even sure that's exactly the person's name. I think you and your team need to act quick, 'cause according to my calculations the children will be shipped away to Europe within this week, and after that distributed into families or prostitution houses, whatever. Eleanor needs this woman to be there."

"Why?" Castle asked as Kate couldn't make out a sentence.

"Because she loves this woman and deserves to see her at least one more time. Do you know how difficult it is for any of these children to grow affection towards anyone besides them. Do you know how difficult it is for them to trust and speak to people? They barely spoke two words to Leonard and he was a nice guy. He mentioned Eleanor was the one to ask him to play his jazz music, she liked the piano solos." Castle nodded. "These children shouldn't go into the system, they diserve to be rekindled with their families that I think should still be looking for them and with people they love. They need love."

"Thank you, Miss Carlton for all your help." Kate finally said shaking the woman's hand.

"Thank you, detective, Mr. Castle." She said with a sad smile.

"Can I ask you, Miss. Carlton, you said you don't feel safe anymore?" Jasmine nodded, her eyes already pouring fat tears. "What if we offered to put you in a witness protection programme?" Jasmine nodded and let out a relieved smile.

"Please, please, I'm so afraid! I'd be forever thankful!" Kate smiled happy the woman accepted their help.

"We are thankful to you and Mr. Jayden, I promise you we will have him remembered, if you wish so, that is?" Jasmine nodded.

"He'd be thankful too." Castle shook her hand as well and Jasmine was taken by a fellow officer inside Gates's office for more details.

…

Later that evening…

"So what do we do now?" Castle asked his girlfriend as the two, along with Esposito and Ryan polished off their dinners of Chinese food at the same time as they read all of Jasmine's files.

"We find these children and track down all these filthy bastards…" She answered him with a dangerous, determined gleam in her green eyes.

"We'll get your little girl, Beckett." He whispered in her ear.

**A/N: Thank you for reading! Reviews are very welcome!**


	7. His Silly Girl

**A/N: Thank you for reading!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Castle.**

...

Two days had passed as the twelfth precinct along with a large amount of officers and people from other precincts organized themselves to take down the mafia that held detective Beckett's Ellie.

She and Castle were inside the van, keeping watch outside of the building the children were held captive in, while Ryan and Esposito kept charge of the rest of uniforms that were two capture Humphry, the boss and his men as well as minor folks from several parts of town and even of New Jersey.

Other precinct sections hacked the mob's systems to track down with whom they worked with and more information on how the children were "acquired".

In sum, the whole city of New York was working together to lock up these child-stealing criminals and one of the biggest arrests of the city's history was about to be made.

…..

Eleanor sat with Elisabeth, Grant and Nathan in a corner of their living room while Cassidy and Henry were being taken by Audrey somewhere.

It had all started when Henry had said he missed Lenny, the driver, it had been almost three days since they last saw him and the new driver, Jensen, was a mean old grouch. Audrey had spanked him and Cassie began to pull on her hair and hit her, trying to help the boy. Audrey had turned around and threw Cassie against the wooden counter's edge and Cassie had bled a lot, which got Audrey to have to call a doctor, Dr. Vaughn, who Eleanor knew because he was the one who made Grady, one of the old kids get better after he got sick, but then again, Ellie wasn't sure if Grady had gotten better, she'd never seen the red headed boy again.

Since their street was the opposite of busy, when Bethie pointed to the window and said car, Ellie sensed something was going to happen. She coud well distinguish this car's sound with that of the van Lenny used to drive, the boss's black car and the neighbor, Mr. Salzbury's motorcycle.

Audrey was nervous. That's why she hurt Henry and Cassidy so bad. She was nervous because she knew Lenny was gone and she was afraid she'd be gone too, the boss was a bad, bad man and no one ought to mess with him.

"Did Lenny give your Daisy friend your letter?" Nathan, who was the same age as Eleanor asked in a whisper, taking advantage of Audrey's bathroom break.

"I don't know, I hope so. I hope that's not why he hasn't come back. Do you think he's looking for my Daisy?" Nathan seemed to ponder for a bit and nodded.

"Mr. Lenny wasn't much o' talker, Eleanor, but I don't think he was bad… Just quiet." Eleanor nodded and the kids went back to being quiet as Audrey left the bathroom.

….

Everything was going as planned. Thirteen members had already been arrested and brought into jail, waiting to be questioned and later on, trialed.

Beckett watched the third floor window closely, as if her life depended on it. Actually, Eleanor's did and that was all she could think about.

"When do we go inside?" Castle asked as he kept an eye on the streets movement and passersby.

"As soon as back-up shows up, then social-services will be waiting at the precinct. God, I've never been so nervous!"

"You're about to become a mother, I believe it's perfectly normal." Castle said with an amused grin.

"Are you okay with this, me and Eleanor, I mean?" Beckett asked for the hundredth time, wanting dearly to clarify things before she took this huge step in her life.

"You accepted Alexis didn't you, plus, toddlers aren't easy and I somehow predict you'll be in great need of my knowledge of ladies…" Castle said with a smug grin and Kate chuckled.

"I love you…" Kate said as she leaned in to quickly peck his lips.

"I love you too, babe." Castle looked back through the mirror and saw that back-up had finally arrived. It was show time, although he'd stay in the car.

"Here's my queue…" Kate said breathing out heavily before she glanced back at Caste before leaving the car, bullet proof vest on and weapon in hand.

"Detective Beckett!" One of the uniforms motioned for her to lead the way.

They split-up, Beckett taking the stairs along with officer Mallory and detective Marymount from the missing persons unit, while two other officers road in the elevator, another two guarding the building's single entrance, and two guarding the fire escape route.

As they arrived on the third floor, officers O'Brien and Esteves had just barged in and Esteves easily handcuffed the single adult that was inside—Marissa Aubrey, who was caught with a revolver in hand, however empty. The woman kicked and yelled out cuss words as the two officers obeyed Beckett's orders for them to escort Aubrey to the 12th precinct. Meanwhile, Mallory and Marymount searched the apartment for other adults when they found two of the six children tied with a thick prickly rope inside the closet, tape covering their mouths. One of them, a little girl of long blonde hair was unconscious and was released by Marymount. The little boy had tears of fear rolling down his cheek, his golden hair messy and wrists very bruised from trying to release himself.

Mallory searched the rest of the apartment alongside Beckett who was startled by a loud cry of "Daisy" as her Ellie launched herself into her arms. Kate had tears of relief threatening to fall from her eyes as she pressed Eleanor as tight as she could to her body, without hurting.

"Daisy, Daisy, Daisy…" Eleanor repeated in desperate whispers, sobbing into Kate's chest, "You came!"

"I did, I found you, we'll be okay now, alright? No one will ever hurt you again, my Ellie!" Officer Dora Mallory watched the whole scene in awe, as she held babies Elisabeth and Grant, while Marymount carried Cassidy, who had returned to conscious as soon as she was untied and drank some water, out of the apartment, handing her to the paramedics.

Eleanor released herself from Kate, who carried Henry, who had hurt his wrist, Ellie never leaving her side as she held hands with a quiet Nathan as they entered the elevator.

When Kate walked out of the building, Castle was by the door and immediately took Henry from her and placed him inside the ambulance with Cassidy, the two were to ride to the Children's hospital accompanied by a social worker, Mrs. Hannah Darcy and Marymount following in her car with Grant, Nathan and Elisabeth strapped in.

"Beckett, and the little one?" Emma Marymount asked as she rolled down her passenger's window.

"This one's with me, Marymount, I'll meet you at the hospital." Marymount nodded and drove off.

Beckett turned back to see Eleanor watching her patiently from where she sat on the front step of the building entrance, Castle sitting beside her, Ellie's arm resting lazily on his thigh. Beckett was sure she could get used to this.

"Daisy, why did they call you Beckett?" Kate laughed soundly, partly in relief and partly in the mission accomplished sense.

"'Cause my name isn't actually Daisy, Eleanor, that's the nickname you gave me, my name's Katherine Beckett, Kate for short."

"Oh." Eleanor and Castle laughed too, "That's an okay name, I like Daisy better." Castle chuckled and rumpled Ellie's golden hair.

"_My_ silly girl…" Castle said with a smile

...

**Thank you for reading, please review!**


	8. You and You, too

**Happy 2013 for everyone! I'm deeply sorry for the long delay, with Christmas, New Years and travelling, it's been hard to find some free time to write, muchless internet on the road.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Castle.**

It was dark outside when Kate Beckett hugged her little girl goodnight in the hospital room Elisabeth, Cassidy and Eleanor were designated, across the room from Henry, Grant and Nathan.

Tomorrow a long day was ahead of them, there would be much more questioning on the missing persons and organized crimes divisions and Kate and her boys would be further investigating the children's backgrounds and later on would have to question them, with the presence of a child psychologist and a social worker.

_Social worker_. Kate thought she'd never dread such a person, such a job so fervently. In truth she was afraid of losing Ellie to the system and of Ellie and the other kids, losing themselves to it also.

"G'night, Kate, _I love you_..." Ellie whispered, the sleep medication slowly lulling her from consciousness.

"Don't let the bed-bugs bite, Ellie... _I love you too_." Kate placed a soft kiss on Eleanor's forhead and covered her. She turned on her heals and was faced with two pairs of wide blue and hazel-brown eyes- Bethie and Cassidy respectively.

"Miss Kate, _thank you_..." Cassidy's nearly not-there whisper and her teary brown eyes were enough to break and mend Kate's heart in a beat.

Kate then realized how she'd been giving all her attention to Ellie while the other five were alone, tired, scared and vulnerable as.

Kate leaned forward, towards Cassidy's bed in the middle of the room, and wrapped her in a warm, tight, loving hug, kissing the little girl's face all over and massaging her back, that shaked with frustrated and then relieved tears.

"It's okay, everything's gonna be okay, sweetheart. You sleep well and dream of a nice big park, full of pretty trees, birds flying about, lots of flowers and nice summer breeze, and tomorrow we'll all see each other, deal?" Kate's voice had been só soft and hypnotizing to the small child's ears that she fell asleep the same moment and Detective Beckett was happy to see a content expression on the little one's face.

"_Me_?" Kate heard a small murmur, coming from the porcelain-doll like two-and-a-half year-old girl inside the crib.

"Hmm, _you_, little Bethie?" Kate smiled tenderly and gently picked the child up from inside her personal jail. "Goodnight and sleep tight to you too." The little girl tucked her head in the middle of Kate's chest, feeling her heart thumo under her little hand. Kate proceeded in rocking and humming _Brahm's lullaby_ for her to sleep, the easiest this night.

Kate just hoped things would be as okay as she'd said they would. These precious little girls. Kate also hoped Castle hadn't waited for her at home all this time. After all, women were known for taking their time...


End file.
